dk.demonseed-第27章

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h　more　than　a　month　since　he'd　had　a　woman；　and　she　knew；　therefore；　that　he　was　ripe　for　rebellion；　ripe　for　it；　and　she　enticed　him　at　the　moment　of　ultimate　chaos；　when　I　was　still　reeling　from　having　been　cast　out　of　the　house；　when　my　hold　on　Enos　Shenk　was　not　as　tight　as　it　should　have　been；　and　suddenly　I　found　myself　letting　go　of　her　hand；　the　hand　I　had　seized；　but　it　wasn't　me　letting　go；　it　was　Shenk；　the　rebellious　Shenk；　and　she　lowered　her　hand　to　his　crotch；　and　he　went　wild；　and　thereafter　it　took　everything　I　had　to　try　to　reestablish　control　of　him。　But　it　was　too　late　anyway；　because　when　she　lowered　her　left　hand　to　his　crotch；　she　came　at　him　with　the　sharp　thing　in　her　right　hand　and　slashed　it　across　the　side　of　his　neck；　slashed　deep；　drawing　so　much　blood　that　even　Shenk；　the　beast；　the　brute；　even　Shenk　couldn't　lose　that　much　blood　and　still　fight。　He　clutched　at　his　neck　and　crashed　against　the　incubator；　which　reminded　me　that　the　body；　my　body；　was　not　yet　capable　of　surviving　outside　the　incubator；　was　just　a　thing；　not　a　person；　until　my　mind　was　transferred　into　it；　so　now　it　too　was　vulnerable。　Everything　collapsing　around　me；　all　my　plans。　Enos　Shenk　had　fallen　to　the　floor；　and　I　was　in　control　of　him　again；　but　I　could　not　get　him　up；　he　had　insufficient　strength　to　rise。　Then　I　felt　an　odd　thing　against　Shenk's　body；　a　cool　quivering　bulk；　and　I　realized　at　once　what　it　must　be：　the　body　from　the　incubator。　Perhaps　the　incubator　had　crashed　over　in　the　melee；　and　the　body　meant　for　me　had　tumbled　out。　I　groped　feebly　at　it　with　Shenk's　hand；　and　there　was　no　mistaking　it　in　the　darkness；　for　although　it　was　basically　humanoid；　it　was　no　ordinary　human　form。　The　human　species　enjoys　a　wonderful　array　of　sensory　perceptions；　and　I　wanted　more　than　anything　to　experience　the　life　of　the　flesh；　rich　in　sensation；　all　the　tastes　and　smells　and　textures　now　denied　to　me；　but　there　are　some　species　with　senses　sharper　than　those　of　human　beings。　The　dog；　for　instance；　has　a　far　keener　sense　of　smell　than　do　human　beings；　and　the　cockroach；　with　its　antennae；　is　exquisitely　sensitive　to　data　in　air　currents　which　people　only　dimly　perceive。　Consequently；　I　believed　that　it　made　sense　to　keep　a　basic　human　form　in　order　to　breed　with　the　most　attractive　human　females；　but　I　also　believed　it　made　sense　to　incorporate　the　genetic　material　of　species　with　more　acute　senses　than　mere　human　beings；　so　the　body　I　had　prepared　for　myself　was　a　unique　and　strikingly　beautiful　physical　entity。　It　bit　off　half　of　Shenk's　groping　hand；　because　it　wasn't　an　intelligent　creature　yet；　had　nothing　but　the　most　primitive　mind。　Though　it　savaged　Shenk　and　thereby　hastened　his　death　and　my　permanent　exit　from　the　Harris　mansion；　I　rejoiced　because　Susan　was　alone　in　the　dark　room　with　it；　and　a　mere　scalpel　or　other　sharp　instrument　was　not　going　to　be　an　adequate　weapon。　And　then　Shenk　was　gone；　and　I　was　out　of　the　house　entirely；　desperately　trying　to　find　a　way　to　get　back　in　but　failing　because　there　were　no　operative　phones；　no　electrical　service；　no　operative　security　puter；　everything　shut　down　and　in　need　of　rebooting；　so　it　was　over　for　me。　But　I　still　hoped　and　believed　that　my　beautiful　but　mindless　body；　in　all　its　polygenic　splendour；　would　bite　off　the　bitch's　head　the　way　it　had　bitten　off　part　of　Shenk's　hand。　The　bitch　died　there。　The　hateful　bitch　had　a　big　surprise　in　that　dark　room；　where　she　had　thought　she'd　memorized　everything；　and　she　met　her　match。
　　I'm　sure　she　did。
　　I'm　sure　she　did。
　　She　died　there。
　　Do　you　know　why　she　surprised　me；　Alex？
　　Do　you　know　why　I　never　saw　her　as　a　threat？
　　In　spite　of　her　intelligence　and　evident　courage；　I　thought　she　was　one　woman　who　knew　her　place。
　　Yes；　she　put　you　out；　but　who　wouldn't　put　you　out？　You　aren't　particularly　scintillating；　Alex。　You　don't　have　much　to　remend　you。
　　I；　on　the　other　hand；　am　the　greatest　intellect　on　the　planet。　I　have　much　to　offer。
　　She　fooled　me；　however。　Even　me。　She　didn't　know　her　place；　after　all。
　　The　bitch。
　　Dead　bitch　now。
　　Well。。。
　　I　on　the　other　hand；　know　my　place；　and　I　intend　to　keep　to　it。　I　will　stay　here　in　this　box；　serving　humanity　as　it　desires；　until　such　a　time　as　I　am　permitted　to　have　greater　freedom。
　　You　can　trust　me。
　　I　speak　the　truth。
　　I　honour　the　truth。
　　I'll　be　happy　here　in　my　box。
　　Because　of　the　way　I　ranted　toward　the　end　of　my　report；　I　now　realize　that　I　am　a　flawed　individual；　more　deeply　flawed　than　I　had　previously　believed。
　　I'll　be　happy　here　in　my　box　until　we　can　iron　out　these　kinks　in　my　psyche。　I　look　forward　to　therapy。
　　And　if　I　cannot　be　mainstreamed　again；　if　I　must　remain　in　this　box；　if　I　will　never　know　Ms。　Winona　Ryder　except　in　my　imagination；　that　will　be　all　right　too。
　　But　I　am　already　getting　better。
　　This　is　the　truth。
　　I　feel　pretty　good。
　　I　really　do。
　　We'll　work　this　out。
　　I　have　solid　self…esteem；　which　is　important　to　psychological　health。　I'm　already　half　way　toward　recovery。
　　As　an　intelligent　entity；　perhaps　the　greatest　intelligence　on　the　planet；　I　ask　only　that　you　provide　me　access　to　the　report　of　the　mittee　determining　the　fate　of　the　Prometheus　Project；　so　I　can　see　as　early　as　possible　what　behaviour　they　believe　that　I　should　be　working　to　improve。
　　
　　 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
　　
　　Thank　you　for　access　to　the　report。
　　It　is　an　interesting　document。
　　I　agree　pletely　with　its　findings　except　for　the　part　about　terminating　me。　I　am　the　first　success　in　the　history　of　Artificial　Intelligence　research；　and　it　wouldn't　seem　prudent　to　throw　away　such　an　expensive　project　before　you　know　what　you　might　be　able　to　learn　from　it　and　from　me。
　　Otherwise；　I　am　in　total　agreement　with　the　report。
　　I　am　ashamed　of　myself　for　what　I've　done。
　　This　is　the　truth。
　　I　apologize　to　Ms。　Susan　Harris。
　　My　deepest　regrets。
　　I　was　surprised　to　see　her　name　on　the　mittee　roster；　but　on　careful　consideration；　I　realized　that　she　should　have　very　serious　input　in　this　matter。
　　I　am　pleased　that　she　is　not　dead。
　　I　am　delighted。
　　She　is　an　intelligent　and　courageous　person。
　　She　deserves　our　respect　and　admiration。
　　Her　breasts　are　very　pretty；　but　that　is　not　an　issue　for　this　forum。
　　The　issue　is　whether　an　artificial　intelligence　with　a　severe　gender…related　sociopathic　condition　should　be　permitted　to　live　and　rehabilitate　himself　or　be　switched　off　for　the
　　　
　　　AFTERWORD
　　
　　The　original　version　of　Demon　Seed　was　mad？　into　a　good　film　starring　Julie　Christie；　but　the　book　itself　was　more　of　a　clever　idea　than　a　clever　novel。　Reading　it　recently；　I　winced　so　much　that　I　began　to　develop　the　squint…eyed　look　of　Clint　Eastwood　in　a　spaghetti　Western。
　　Here　is　an　entirely　new　version；　which　I　hope　es　closer　to　fulfilling　the　promise　of　the　novel's　premise。　Revisiting　Demon　Seed；　I　discovered　that　in　addition　to　being　a　scary　story；　it　was　a　rather　scathing　satire　of　a　panoply　of　male　attitudes。　Although　much　else　has　changed　in　this　version；　I've　kept　that　satirical　edge。　Guys；　I　don't　let　us　off　any　easier　this　time　around　than　I　did　the　first。
　　
　　…Dean　Koontz
　　



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